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What are the Pros and Cons of On-Campus and Off-Campus Living?

Choosing where to live at college is stressful for many students since housing does play a major role in your academic and social experience. While some students swear by off-campus living, you may worry about factors such as cost and transportation. As you consider the best place to rest your head, consider these pros and cons of both types of living options to find the one that works best for your needs.

On-Campus Living Is Linked to Higher GPAs

The debate over whether or not living on-campus helps students do better academically has existed for many years. Now, WEAU News reports that a study has found that students who live on-campus have higher GPAs than off-campus students. While more research is being done to understand why, it is believed that living near classes and other resources such as the library motivates students to attend class more regularly.

Off-Campus Housing Offers More Independence

Some colleges require freshmen to live on-campus simply to prevent them from losing sight of their goals by staying out too late. College dorms usually have curfews and other rules in place to ease the process of living with roommates. By choosing off-camping housing, students have more independence when it comes to deciding how many guests they want to have over and how late they stay.

On-Campus Living Reduces Commuting Problems

When you live on-campus, you do not have to worry about taking care of a car or waiting for public transportation. Many students find that deciding where to live at college hinges upon their ability to walk to and from their classes. Living on-campus also offers the convenience of being able to go to your room when you have a long lag between classes or for lunch so that you do not have to carry everything you need for the day all at once.

Off-Campus Living Offers More Flexibility

Students who don’t attend school during the summer or who take online classes for a semester often find that having to move out of their dorm is inconvenient. When you choose to live off-campus, you are only bound by your lease, which means that you can decide to live there year-round if that suits your lifestyle. You will also have the option of living alone, and you can select your roommates instead of having the school designate who shares your room.

On-Campus Living Gives You An Instant Social Group

Traveling out-of-state to attend school is exciting, but it can also be a little scary if it is your first time away from home. College dorms take great effort to match incoming freshmen with other students who can guide them through their first year. For many college students, the other residents in their dorm become their instant family away from home. This sense of community eases new college students into a social environment that supports them as they build their independence.

The ideal place to live during college varies according to each person’s personality, academic goals, finances and comfort living with other people. While it is common for people to think solely about the cost of each option, the financial aspects of both tend to even out since living off-campus requires paying rent and bills while on-campus living has its university-designated fees. Either way, looking at all your options when you choose where to live at college affects your academic success and comfort is the best way to ensure your long-term happiness.